Podcasts are my jam. In past years, I was a lot better about splitting my listening time between audiobooks and podcasts. But in the last couple of years all my listening time is filled with podcasts.
They are just easier for me to focus on. Or if my mind wanders a little, they’re easier to catch up with. Perhaps it’s the shorter format versus following a story line. Although very recently – I don’t want to jinx it – I’ve made it through two audiobooks and maintained focus the whole way through.
I’m addicted to podcasts that cover books and reading. Often times I’m spending time googling book lists or listening to bookish podcasts rather than actually reading! This was especially true in the early pandemic days.
In my defense, I know a lot of fellow book nerds with the same issue. Skimming book lists, adding to the TBR pile, reading about reading instead of spending time crossing books off the endless TBR stacks.
Here are 5 of my favorite bookish podcasts. The ones I never miss an episode of. Most of them even have an extensive back list of content to keep your ears full and happy with all the bookish news, commentary, and recommendations for a long time.
1. What Should I Read Next? with Anne Bogel
Years ago when I was looking for new book recommendations, my best friend pointed me to the Modern Mrs Darcy blog written by Anne Bogel. From there I found Anne’s wonderful podcast, What Should I Read Next?
I’m a huge Modern Mrs Darcy fan! I’ve read all her books and eagerly await her reading guides. I also participate in her quick lit link up on the 15th every month and never miss a podcast episode.
What Should I Read Next? is a weekly hour long podcast where Anne interviews one guest about their reading life, bookish tastes, and what they feel like they’re missing. They then share three books they loved and one book they didn’t. At the end of the episode, Anne recommends three for them to read next.
Anne has a wonderful voice, very soothing. The recommendations can be hit or miss for me because everyone has different reading tastes but I love listening to Anne pick out different themes between the three love it books and apply them to her recommendations.
2. Get Booked from Book Riot
This was the first bookish podcast I discovered way back in 2016 when I was looking for things to listen to while I worked in vineyards in New Zealand. I still listen to it regularly. The Book Riot website itself is a great bookish source. It covers book news, new releases, adaptations, and diverse reading lists with several articles posting everyday.
On Get Booked listeners write in with specific book requests. Hosts Jenn and Amanda give one recommendation each for every question. Both are avid readers who work in the book community so they have a huge network of other bookish professionals to turn to if a question stumps them. They usually go through 5 to 6 questions an episode. Episodes are 45 to 55 minutes long.
I love hearing the different questions – they’ve gotten quite specific over the years. Jenn and Amanda often recommend books that I wouldn’t have come across in more “mainstream” sources. I also appreciate that all the ads are book related.
Book Riot has a lot of other podcasts, mostly genre specific, that are worth checking out. I enjoy their Hey YA, When in Romance, and the original Book Riot news podcast though I don’t catch every episode.
3. Unabridged Podcast
The Unabridged Podcast is one I found more recently and I blew through their back list episodes. Jen, Ashley, and Sara are three bookish friends, moms, and teachers in Virginia who share about their reading lives. These episodes are shorter than the other podcasts, usually 20 to 30 minutes.
I love their fun segments. They use Book Riot’s reading card game, Lit Chat, to pick a reading question to answer at the end of each episode. As teachers they include a lot of middle grade and young adult books in their discussions and recommendations. I love that they all seem to read bits of every genre, which is similar to my own tastes. Their personalities are very fun, supportive, and open.
4. He Read She Read
In He Read She Read, Curtis and Chelsey, two married bookworms with very different tastes, discuss all things books and reading. These episodes usually run 40 to 45 minutes. They release a new episode every other week.
They’ve taken a few breaks since coming out with the podcast so this has the shortest back list of my favorite podcasts. There are about 60 podcasts in the archive so still plenty to catch up on. Curtis is an officer in the military and currently deployed so I think it’s amazing they’ve made it a priority to keep posting new episodes regularly.
I enjoy their banter, variety of tastes, and how they encourage one another to try new genres. It is one of the few bookish podcasts I have found with a male host so always nice to have another perspective. I wish my husband was willing to do a project like this with me!
5. The Currently Reading Podcast
This is the most recent addition to my regular bookish podcasts. I found Currently Reading a few months ago and am staying up to date on the new weekly episodes while I make my way through its back list.
Original hosts, Meredith and Kaytee, are in the middle of their third season podcasting. Each season has about 50 episodes around 50 minutes long. With the newest season they have two new co hosts, Mary and Mindy, who have previously been regular guests. The episodes alternate between different hosts.
There are so many things I love about Currently Reading! It’s my new favorite podcast. First off there are no ads. The hosts are very organized and have shared how important it is to them to be direct and to the point with their book talk. The episodes are a mix of interviews and deep dives into various reading topics.
I love all of their fun segments and they have tons of listener interactions. The books we press, bookish moments of the week, and belly up to the book bar are among my favorites. Offering strong opinions, even on books they didn’t like, is also important to them. I appreciate their honesty, humor, and respectful discussions.
What are your thoughts on podcasts? Do you enjoy any bookish ones?
